Jetsettersblog

Enjoy a golf getaway at Windermere House Resort, located on prestigious Lake Rosseau in beautiful Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.

Package includes one night accommodations for two, breakfast for two and 18 holes of golf for two at the classic Windermere Golf & Country Club, starting from $309.
Stunningly upgraded in 2008 for the most discerning tastes, guests at Windermere House Resort can enjoy the ultimate cottage country getaway.

At Windermere House you can luxuriate in plush pillowtop beds, enjoy sumptuous dining prepared by Oliver & Bonacini and relax at Muskoka’s premier address. From a soothing spa service at Sanctuary at Muskoka to a challenging round of golf at the adjacent Windermere Golf and Country Club, you can experience everything Muskoka has to offer in unsurpassed comfort.

Dates: Good through Oct. 7, 2011.

For more information, http://www.windermerehouse.com/

And you’ll find them cookin’ across the country
Chef Canada just concluded its first successful year – with three chefs from across the country battling it out in the kitchen on the final episode for the $100,000 prize.

In the end it was Vancouver’s Dale MacKay who came out on top, followed by Toronto’s Rob Rossi and Calgary’s Connie De Sousa.

There were 16 young chefs who started the season, eliminated week by week in culinary challenges ranging from cooking tasty street food to creating a menu for Milestones restaurant. So where are these top toques cooking now? They’re in restaurants and inns, wineries and bistros across the country – and most will be together again on the Food Network Celebrity Stage at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) Aug. 22 to Sept. 4, 2011:

Dale MacKay – has just opened his own restaurant, ensemble, in Vancouver this spring.

Rob Rossi – The second place finisher and former sous chef at Toronto’s Canoe Restaurant, recently announced his departure from the Mercatto group of restaurants for “new and exciting ventures.”

Connie De Sousa – The only woman to make it to the final three in the Top Chef Competition, De Sousa is back at CHARCUT in Calgary, the popular locovore restaurant where she is both co-executive chef and co-owner.

Dustin Gallagher – Gallagher is the chef at Toronto’s Grace restaurant, known for its “modern farmhouse cuisine”.

Todd Perrin returned to St. John’s, Newfoundland where he owns and operates The Chef’s Inn, a bed and breakfast featuring locally inspired dinners with ingredients from his own garden.

Andrea Nicholson – a chef, cooking teacher and certified as a Neapolitan pizza maker in Italy – heads up Great Cooks Culinary Centre in Toronto and produces her own line of Killer Condiments.

Darryl Crumb – This Winnipeg chef specializes in Prairie comfort food at the new Brooklynn’s Bistro, where he brings his Le Cordon Bleu training and Paris cooking experience to the table.

Patrick Wiese – This Toronto chef hails from Chicago and now cooks exclusively as a private chef for one of Canada’s top investment bankers.

Rebekah Pearce – Calgary native, chef and sommelier, Pearce worked at Mission Hill winery’s Terrace Restaurant this summer.

Jamie Hertz – Hertz has his own restaurant, Fusion Bistro, in the funky mountain town of Nelson, BC, where he creates his own style of comfort and soul food.

Steve Gonzales – With Columbian-born parents, Gonzalez put a modern spin on Latino food as chef de cuisine at Origin in Toronto, although he’s recently just left to reportedly open his own place this fall.

Chris Kanka – A chef with experience in restaurants like Monsoon and Bangkok Garden, Kanka is now working on a restaurant project – with plans for opening in spring 2012 in Ontario’s Durham region.

Clayton Beadle – Born in the Yukon, Beadle was the youngest competitor on the show and now works as chef de partie at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler.

Derek Bocking – Bocking hails from Montreal where he is head chef at Confusion, a tapas restaurant with a global approach.

Eastern Airways will add a new route linking Glasgow with Stavanger in Norway on September 12.

Flights will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with fares starting at £99 one way, including taxes and charges.

Meanwhile, the regional airline will increase Bristol services from to two three each weekday to both Aberdeen and Leeds Bradford from October 3.

This Ontario cottage country may be a playground for the rich and famous, but the sandbox is for sharing.

 Muskoka has developed a reputation as a summer playground for A-list Hollywood celebrities, titans of industry and just about anyone who has ever played for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.

Just grabbing some supplies at the Glen Orchard General Store, you might bump into casually dressed weekenders like Kate Hudson or Cindy Crawford filling their carts with ripe local tomatoes, the last of the season’s thick asparagus or the first summer corn.

A leisurely cruise around any one of the area’s three lakes – Joseph, Rosseau and Muskoka – in a vintage racing boat, the preferred mode of transportation around here, will quickly reveal what attracts the rich and famous. Towering pines flourish alongside granite cliffs, warm black lakes reflect soft white clouds and the long days unfurl with languid ease.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a multimillionaire to share in the experience. For a taste of classic Muskoka, cruise over to the 100-year-old Clevelands House Resorton Lake Rosseau. The beautiful main house with its red mansard roof resembles a classic cruise ship and is surrounded by over 400 acres of land. It’s like a summer camp that parents and kids can attend together, and the best part is that you don’t even have to see each other. Leave the kids in the capable hands of the Children’s Play Village while you work on your short game or backhand at the hotel’s golf course and professional tennis facility.

Lake Rosseau’s grand Windermere House dates back to 1870, but the original structure burned to the ground in the 1990s during the filming of The Long Kiss Goodnight. They rebuilt and reopened the following year, and as recently as 2008 completed a series of luxurious upgrades. This season marks the opening of the much-anticipated WH Spa and the first Muskoka branch of the popular Sanctuary International Day Spa.

The new face of Muskoka is represented by places like the chic, modern Taboo Resort on the southern end of Lake Muskoka. Grab a chair at the “culinary theatre,” an 18-seat marble bar surrounding the open kitchen. You pick the ingredients and the chefs improvise a menu that might include Indian-spiced, braised guinea hen, bison salad or halibut with sea urchin butter sauce.

After a day spent alternating between dips in the lake, laps in the infinity pool and napping on the dock, guests of the chic new Touchstone in Bracebridge can choose between dinner at the resort’s Taste restaurant (smoked duck with baby lettuce, perhaps) or prepare their own meal in their villa’s gourmet kitchen.

When leaders from the world’s G8 nations held their annual conference in Muskoka in 2010 they chose the elegant Deerhurst Resort. There’s no word on whether Nicolas Sarkozy, Barack Obama, David Cameron and the other leaders duelled it out in the paintball zone, but the lakeside golf course did get plenty of use.

Getting here

Glen Orchard General Store, RR 3, 4000 Hwy. 169, Glen Orchard, 705-765-3251

Clevelands House Resort, 1040 Juddhaven Rd., Minett, 1-888-567-1177, www.clevelandshouse.com

Windermere House, 2508 Windermere Rd., Windermere, 1-888-946-3376, www.windermerehouse.com

Taboo Resort, 1209 Muskoka Beach Rd., Gravenhurst, 1-800-461-0236, www.tabooresort.com

Touchstone, 1869 Muskoka Rd. 118 W., Bracebridge, 1-866-928-1098, www.touchstoneonlakemuskoka.com/resort.html

Deerhurst Resort,1235 Deerhurst Dr., Huntsville, 1-800-461-4393, www.deerhurstresort.com

Ontario Tourism, 1-800-ONTARIO (1-800-668-2746), www.ontariotravel.net

San Diego’s East County region conjures up images of the Wild West when cowboys, pioneers and prospectors set their sights on this vast inviting frontier with its quaint rural towns nestled amongst rolling hills, alpine mountains and desolate desert expanse.

Visitors can experience this exciting chapter of San Diego’s pastoral past at various historic sites and towns throughout East County, as well as at community events that celebrate the western days of yesteryear.

GOLD RUSH

The historic town of Julian located in the picturesque Cuyamaca Mountains, was founded after the Civil War when displaced Confederate veterans from Georgia headed West to seek their fortunes in this new, mostly unsettled land. Among these veterans were cousins Drury Bailey and Mike Julian, who found the lush meadow between Volcan Mountain and the Cuyamacas to their liking. In the winter of 1869, former slave and cattleman Fred Coleman discovered gold in a creek outside of town. This sparked San Diego County’s first and only gold rush, and within a few weeks over 800 prospectors from around the country flocked to Julian in search of gold.

Julian’s first gold producing mine, the Washington Mine, was discovered in 1870 and within days over 40 other claims were registered. Julian grew to become San Diego County’s second largest town and the Gold Rush lasted for about 30 years, producing almost $2 million in gold (worth about $150 million today).

Today, visitors can explore Julian’s Gold Rush past at four area gold mines and the Julian Pioneer Museum, as well as on historic walking tours and much more:

The historic Eagle and High Peak Gold Mines, located high atop downtown Julian on C Street, offer one-hour, guided walking tours of two of Julian’s original gold mines. Passing through an intricate path of tunnels, visitors learn tales of the arduous life of gold miners and the early residents of Julian. They can also go gold panning and visit the adjacent museum.

At the Smith Ranch Julian Train Ride & Gold Mine, visitors can embark on a one-mile roundtrip train ride in an 18-inch narrow gauge gold mining train, explore an 1870 gold mine (keep an eye out for quartz veins with flecks of gold) and pan for gold. Venturesome guests can also ride into the mine in an authentic 1898 mine car.
The Washington Mine, owned by the Julian Historical Society, is located on Gold Hill north of town. Visitors can view a variety of mining equipment outside the mine entrance and walk to the top of the claim for spectacular views of Julian and the surrounding countryside.

Stonewall Mine, located in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park, features a sealed-off mine shaft, interpretive signs and remnants of the vast mining operation that thrived in the boomtown of Cuyamaca City between 1870 and 1891. There is also a small miners’ cabin museum with photos and exhibits.

The Julian Pioneer Museum on Washington Street features an extensive array of mining equipment, pioneer photos, Native-American artifacts, animal and bird mountings, an original “Julian City” buggy and sleigh, Victorian-era clothing and one of the finest collections of lace in California.

For an insider’s scoop on the pioneers and families who settled the town, visitors can enjoy David Lewis’ Historical Tours of Julian, which includes a fascinating walk through the Julian Haven of Rest cemetery where most of Julian’s early pioneers are buried. Lewis also offers a general history tour and custom tours focusing on nearby mines and Julian’s prominent African-American heritage.

The Julian Gold Rush Hotel, the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California, is not only a living monument to the glory days of the Gold Rush, but it is also the dream come true of former slave Albert Robinson and his wife, Margaret, who built the property in 1897. Today, the “Queen of the Backcountry,” which is a nationally registered historic landmark, continues to delight guests with its Victorian-era décor, beckoning them back to the days of the Old West.

Even Julian’s outlaws and ne’er-do-wells had a place to rest their heads at night. The two-cell Julian Jail, located on the corner of C and Fourth Streets, was built in 1914 and is open to the public.

Nearly 100 years old, Julian Town Hall on Main Street displays historic photos upstairs and is home to the Chamber of Commerce where visitors can find maps and brochures to local sights and attractions.

Julian celebrates its rich storied past with two major annual community events:

Julian Gold Rush Days, which takes place Father’s Day weekend in June, celebrates the discovery of gold with a number of fun-filled activities, including gold panning, gold mine tours, historic skits, old fashioned games and more.

While other nearby gold mining towns disappeared over time, Julian’s pioneers stayed, farmed the rich land and continued to thrive with the production of its newest asset: apples. The town celebrates the annual Julian Fall Apple Harvest from mid-September through mid-November, a tradition begun in 1909. Autumn is one of the most popular times of year to visit this delightful mountain community steeped in western charm.

GUNSLINGERS AND BATTLEFIELDS

East County puts the “wild” in Wild West with the sites of two major historic battles, plus a lesser known gun fight.

The San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in the scenic San Pasqual Valley commemorates California’s bloodiest battle of the U.S.-Mexican War which took place on Dec. 6, 1846. Visitors can witness an annual reenactment of the Battle Day, along with a recreation of a military and mountain men encampment, craft demonstrations, period music and dancing and children’s activities.

Located five miles from the San Pasqual Battlefield is the 1846 Battle of Mule Hill State Historic Landmark, where U.S. troops were held under siege by Mexican Californios. A portion of the adjacent Mule Hill Historic Trail follows the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Route – a major cross-country route that carried mail and passengers to California from Memphis, TN and St. Louis, MO.

Visitors can see how early settlers in the area lived at the nearby Sikes Family Adobe Historic Farmhouse, featuring free docent-led tours of the 1870s furnished house and grounds.

The Gaskill Brothers’ Stone Store and Museum in Campo, a State Historic Landmark and home of the Mountain Empire Historical Society, was the site of one of the bloodiest civilian gun battles in the history of the American West (second only to the gunfight at the OK Corral). The 1885 fortress-like store, with its two- to four-foot-thick stone walls, was built as a result of a furious gun fight with border bandits in 1875 and reminds visitors of the more adventurous times of the Wild West.
The upper floor of the store is dedicated to nearby Camp Lockett, a military outpost created to protect this rocky and mountainous southern frontier and home of the U.S. Army’s 10th Cavalry Regiment, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The lower level is focused on the history of East County’s backcountry, from prehistoric times through the early part of the 20th century.

Continue reading Exploring the “Wild West” of San Diego’s East County…

The event that started it all in the USA in Reno, Nevada, is happening again on January 11-15, 2012.

The 4th Reno International Bachata Festival will take place at the famous Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino with its 20,000 square feet ballroom. With its five diamond hotel rating, Peppermill Resort Casino is Reno’s #1 hotel, spa, and casino, this is where you will be treated to the most luxurious accommodations offered by any hotel. It is an ideal location for everyone. Located just 10 minutes from the excitement of downtown and only seven minutes from Reno/Tahoe Airport, you’ll enjoy easy access to all the attractions that Reno has to offer during the bachata festival.

The festival is for everyone, created for the absolute beginners to get inspired and to learn to dance and for people that just simply love the music. But this festival is also for the advance dancers that love to perform and compete. Bachata, salsa, merengue, bolero, tango, zouk and kizomba will be taught and performed by top teachers in the world during the festival. And we have the best performance stage in the planet.

Bachata is a musical style and dance developed in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. Some common themes in its songs are those of lost love, lost hope and betrayal — all delivered through sexual innuendos which originally gave bachata a bad reputation that kept it hidden in the lower class barrios of its own nation for decades. It wasn’t until the 1990s that bachata became a socially acceptable music on radio stations and in the clubs in the Dominican Republic.

Rodney Rodchata Aquino, a bachata pioneer, was the first man to host a bachata festival in the USA, and co-hosted the 1st Bachata Festival in the Dominican Republic. Reno Bachata Festival and San Francisco Bachata Festival were the festivals that popularized bachata dancing.

“Bachata dance has emerged as this intoxicating dance craze that not only swept the Reno Latin community from its feet, but the entire nation as well. Bachata is now this sexy thing that has dancers addicted, they keep showing up at the festivals,” said Aquino, owner of multiple dance festivals.

With increased popularity of bachata festivals in the world, Reno Bachata Festival, by last year alone, totalled an attendance of over 1600. This year is no different, indeed. The festival is hosting one of the biggest name in the bachata music industry; Toby Love, coming directly from New York city.

If you’re looking for a memorable winter vacation and can’t wait to have fun with inspiration in mind, you must attend the 4th Annual Reno Bachata International Festival (www.bachatareno.com).

This spectacular 5-Day Festival happens on January 11-15, 2012 at the huge Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino. People from all over the world are always excited attend this festival, and the hotel rooms are always sold out! Plan your bachata dance vacation at once and secure your rooms!

Rodney Rodchata Aquino (www.rodchata.com) is one of the biggest dance promoter in the world. He had a vision in 2005; to promote bachata dancing encouraging people to dance it. He was the first person to host a bachata festival in USA (Reno Bachata Festival) and San Francisco Bachata Festival in 2009. As his vision was to see bachata respected in the dance scene, he continued this vision by hosting more bachata festivals in the world. What was once his passion has turned into world’s popular bachata dance lessons and events, the world’s bestselling dance DVD series, and over a dozen web sites fueling the global bachata dance cravings. With a goal of helping beginner dancers learn the fun of bachata dancing, Aquino has created fantastic opportunities to get people enjoy Latin dancing.

HILTON HEAD, S.C. — The Sea Pines Resort — home of iconic Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island – announces its new “Stay Free Play Three” package featuring three rounds of golf on its trio of acclaimed courses and free accommodations in a two-bedroom golf villa.

Sea Pines boasts three Lowcountry jewels: Heron Point by Pete Dye – a dramatic new golf course widely considered the strategic and championship peer of Harbour Town; legendary Harbour Town, home of PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage; and The Ocean Course, the island’s first layout highlighted by the oceanfront par-3 15th.

The Stay Free Play Three package includes three complimentary nights for four players in Sea Pines’ well-appointed, two-bedroom villas with two available options. Option No. 1 includes play on all three Sea Pines layouts for $175 (per player, per night). Option No. 2 features two rounds on Heron Point and one round of the Ocean Course for $135 (per player, per night). From Nov. 28 – Feb. 26, 2012, Option No. 1 is $145 (per player, per night). Option No. 2 is $115 (per player, per night).

“Staying at Sea Pines and playing our three championship courses is now easier than ever as golfers simply pay greens fees and receive free accommodations as value added,” says Cary Corbitt, Director of Sports Division of Sea Pines Resort.

“With all the praise that Heron Point has received since opening, it’s become the perfect companion for Harbour Town and with The Ocean Course completes an unforgettable golf experience.”

For Option No. 1, additional nights are available for $199 per night. For Option No. 2, additional nights are $169 per night. Taxes and fees are added to all the above prices.

To book the Stay Free Play Three:

http://www.seapines.com/stay-free-play-three/,  800-732-7463. For resort information: www.seapines.com

866.561.8802.

About The Sea Pines Resort

One of the true crown jewels of American golf, The Sea Pines Resort is home to legendary Harbour Town Golf Links (home of the PGA TOUR’s The Heritage) designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, Heron Point by Pete Dye, and the Ocean Course.

The resort’s best-in-class collection of golf courses, amenities, meeting facilities and accommodations makes Sea Pines one of the most sought-after leisure and group destinations in America.
In addition to 54 holes of pure Lowcountry golf, Sea Pines features 23 clay tennis courts, eco-tours, water sports, fine and casual dining, spa, 14 miles of bike and walking trails, horseback riding and five miles of unspoiled beaches.

Guests choose from an array of accommodations, including 300 villas, 100 rental homes and the luxurious 60-room Inn at Harbour Town, a Forbes Four-Star boutique hotel and Preferred Hotel Group member.

The week of September 12th will mark the 25th Annual WoodenBoat Sail-In; the gathering of windjammers in WoodenBoat Harbor that has become one of the highlights of every sailing season.

On Tuesday, September 13 around 3:00 pm, the vessels’ guests and crews will go ashore for the annual fleet party featuring live music by steel drum band “Flash in the Pans,” delicious, freshly steamed mussels, and other party snacks. The windjammers will remain at anchor overnight in WoodenBoat Harbor, providing time for guests to row, sail one of their vessel’s side boats, or go ashore to wander the campus of WoodenBoat School and the home of WoodenBoat magazine. If you’re a boating enthusiast, this is definitely the trip for you. WoodenBoat School is widely recognized as having the finest and most comprehensive courses and workshops in wooden boat building. Your tour of the lovely, rustic campus, nestled amid tall Maine pines and meadows of wild flowers, will include a visit to the WoodenBoat Bookstore where you can find publications about the craft and other gift items as well.

We hope you’ll plan to join us for our annual WoodenBoat Sail-In, or for other trips this season. Sailing schedules are available online or you can request a packet of brochures from all 13 members.

Super Yacht Charter M/Y Antinea
ST TROPEZ, FRANCE, / — One of the newest players in the world of super yacht charters is the brand new ‘environmentally friendly’ M/Y Exuma. It is available for charter now and is undertaking a world tour exploring some of the most enchanting areas: San Blas Islands, Panama, Las Perlas Islands, Pacific coast of Costa Rica and Mexico, French Polynesia , Fiji and Tonga Islands (Sep-Oct) to mention just a few.

In the year 2010-2011 the 50m (163′) Picchiotti M/Y Exuma has taken the yacht brokerage world by storm and won six important awards and prizes internationally, a result that reinforces and confirms the success that the Perini Navi Group’s first motor yacht built under the Pichiotti brand name has had. These awards and prizes are the following: Robb Report’s “Best of the Best” 2011 Custom Megayachts, 2011 Boat International World Superyacht Award Motor Yacht of the Year and Best Displacement Motor Yacht of Below 500GT, Rina Green Plus 2010 – Platinum Certification, 2010 World Yacht Trophy World Most Innovative Yacht of the Year, 2010 Nautical Design Awards Best Motor Yacht in 40m+ Range. This stunning mega yacht charter, that can sleep nine guests in five staterooms, is available at a special low season rate of $175,000/week all year. She will be located in French Polynesia, Fiji and Tonga in the autumn and winter, moving to New Zealand for Christmas and New Year.

Built in 1987 by Feadship and completely refitted in 2011, 48.5m (159′) M/Y Audacia is a classically proportioned and luxuriously appointed yacht that can sleep twelve guests in six staterooms. Normally available for $190,000/week high season and $150,000/week low season, this luxury yacht charter currently located in the Western Mediterranean is available at the special rate of $140,000 for the rest of the Med season.

M/Y Antinea is a 43m (143′) super yacht with classicaly sleek lines that was completely refurbished in 2010. She can sleep twelve guests in six staterooms and is currently lying in the western Med. Her summer 2011 season rate is EUR 125,000.00/week high season and low season. Equipped with stabilizers and a full complement of tenders and toys, she is available with a special discount of 15% for one week and 20% for two consecutive weeks booked, for the remaining weeks of August and September.

Fraser Yachts is a full service yachting company offering yacht charter, yacht brokerage, construction as well as yacht management and crew placement services. For further information regarding any of these luxury yacht charter, please visit the Fraser Yachts website at www.fraseryachts.com

Belize Submarine Tour Newest Excursion Coming To Belize During Thirtieth Anniversary Of Independence

Belize Submarine Tour, the newest excursion and first tourist submarine in Belize, is preparing for its Grand Launch this Fall, which is the 30th Anniversary of Belize’s Independence as a nation state.

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE — Belize Submarine Tour is the first tourist submarine excursion in Belize and its newest tourist attraction. Nautilus IV is preparing for a Grand Launch in Fall with a complete upgrade and remodel. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Belize’s Independence and the 213th anniversary of the Battle of St George’s Caye. In celebration of Belize’s Independence, Belize Submarine Tours will begin this Fall.

The Nautilus IV is a State of the Art semi submersible submarine exclusively developed for use on the Belize Barrier Reef. Cruising at 6 feet below the ocean’s surface, in the air-conditioned hull of this underwater observatory, large clear glass windows allow tourists to enjoy all the wonder and beauty of the Barrier Reef of Belize. State of the Art LED lighting has been added to illuminate the great diversity of sea life around the Barrier Reef during the Sunset Cruises.

“We are extremely excited about bringing the latest and greatest tourist attraction to Belize. As we join in celebrating this momentous milestone, our tourist submarine will help augment the tourism industry in the country, and will draw more visitors to Belize for years to come,” said David Perniz, COO, Treasure Island Management, Ltd.

The 45 minute tours will initially operate from two locations: from Tourist Village in Belize City on days when the cruise ships come to Belize, and from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, on alternate days of the week. This exclusive underwater experience is offered by “Belize Submarine Tour”, which is a subsidiary of Treasure Cove Belize, the proposed mega-green resort on Drowned Caye Island.

“Our completely redesigned interior includes natural Belizean hardwood and will greatly enhance the magnificent visual experience,” said Mark Moskowitz, Senior Counsel for Treasure Island Management, Ltd.

For more information and photos of the upgrade, go to http://www.BelizeSubmarineTour.com

About Belize Submarine Tour:
Belize Submarine Tour (Dolphin Holdings) is a Belizean Company which is affiliated with Treasure Island Management Limited, a Belizean Corporation.